The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically displaying information sent to a mobile terminal on the screen of the mobile terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically displaying information of a predetermined type such as advertising on the screen of a mobile terminal without user intervention and use of storage normally used for storing messages.
Telecommunications systems and services today are in an era of rapid evolution in providing alternatives to the wired Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The most common alternative to the conventional subscriber PSTN involves the use of mobile terminals in a wireless telecommunications system operated according to the Global System for Mobile telecommunications (GSM) or the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) standards. These mobile terminals and wireless telecommunications system can also be configured to operate according to the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) thereby permitting their use in any location in the world and for Internet access. As the technology improves, increasing numbers of individuals will have in their possession mobile terminals and use them to perform a myriad of functions including placing and receiving telephone calls.
Each mobile terminal is configured to include at least a display for displaying information for guiding the user in operating the mobile terminal, information regarding the status or mode of operation of the mobile terminal, information of incoming and outgoing calls and information including, for example, an user logo identifying the Telecommunications Service Provider providing telecommunications services to the mobile terminal over the wireless telecommunications system.
Using the display of each mobile terminal for displaying information other than that described above is desired. Particularly, it is desired to permit other information such as, for example, advertising provided by advertisers to promote various products and services, or warnings of impending events provided by governmental and quasi-governmental organizations to be display on the display of each mobile terminal.
However, according to the conventional technique, any information sent to the mobile terminal is sent as part of a message which requires the user of the mobile terminal to perform an action to receive and/or view the information contained in the message. Further, such messages are stored in the storage of the mobile terminal to await actions by the user, thereby occupying precious memory space preventing the storage of normal messages.